judges-20:1-18-esv

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 20:12

THE NEGOTIATIONS BREAK DOWN (Judges 20:12,14)"And the tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying; What wickedness is this that is come to pass among you? Now therefore deliver up the men, the base fellows that are in Gibeah, that we may put them to death, and put away evil from Israel. But Benjamin would not hearken unto the voice of their brethren the children of Israel. And the children of Benjamin gathered themselves together out of the cities unto Gibeah, to go out... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 20:15

THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN MOBILIZES FOR WAR (Judges 20:15-16)"And the children of Benjamin were numbered on that day out of the cities twenty and six thousand men that drew the sword, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah, who were numbered seven hundred chosen men. Among all this people, there were seven hundred chosen men left-handed; everyone could sling stones at a hair-breadth, and not miss."In Joshua 18:21-28, there is a list of the twenty-six cities of the Benjamites, not including all of their... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 20:17

THE RELATIVE STRENGTH OF THE OPPOSING ARMIES (Judges 20:17-18)"And the men of Israel, besides Benjamin, were numbered four hundred thousand men that drew the sword: all these were men of war. And the men of Israel arose, and went up to Bethel, and asked counsel of God; and they said, Who shall go for us first to battle against the children of Benjamin? And Jehovah said, Judah shall go up first."A number of writers express criticism of Israel for their assumption that the war was justified... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 20:1

CHAP. XX. The eleven tribes demand from the Benjamites, that the authors of the cruelty against the Levite's concubine be delivered up: they are conquered in two battles, but in a third overcome the Benjamites, of whom five and twenty thousand fall that day: six hundred of them fly to the rock Rimmon, and abide there four months. Before Christ 1426. Judges 20:1. In Mizpeh— Mizpeh was very conveniently situated for a meeting of all the people, as it stood on the confines of Judah and Benjamin,... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 20:9

Judges 20:9. To Gibeah; we will go up by lot against it— Houbigant renders this more properly, we will draw lots against Gibea. REFLECTIONS.—Fired with holy zeal against such a crying enormity, the whole congregation assembles in Mizpeh, near Shiloh; that they may not only deliberate, but consult God's mind and will in the matter. Four hundred thousand men, under their captains of hundreds and thousands, furnished with weapons of war, are ready to put in force the sentence which shall be... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 20:15

Judges 20:15. Which were numbered seven hundred chosen men— It is said in the 46th verse, that there fell of the Benjamites on the third day twenty-five thousand. In the 47th verse, that there remained from the slaughter six hundred, which number makes twenty-five thousand six hundred men; there remained therefore four hundred to make up the twenty-six thousand, besides the Gibeathites: we may suppose these men to have perished in the two battles of the first and second day; for the sacred... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 20:1

1, 2. all . . . the congregation was gathered as one man—In consequence of the immense sensation the horrid tragedy of Gibeah had produced, a national assembly was convened, at which "the chief of all the people" from all parts of the land, including the eastern tribes, appeared as delegates. Mizpeh—the place of convention (for there were other Mizpehs), was in a town situated on the confines of Judah and Benjamin (Joshua 15:38; Joshua 18:26). Assemblies were frequently held there afterwards (1... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 20:3

3. Now the children of Benjamin heard that the children of Israel were gone up to Mizpeh—Some suppose that Benjamin had been passed over, the crime having been perpetrated within the territory of that tribe [ :-]; and that, as the concubine's corpse had been divided into twelve pieces [Judges 19:29] —two had been sent to Manasseh, one respectively to the western and eastern divisions. It is more probable that Benjamin had received a formal summons like the other tribes, but chose to treat it... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 20:4

4-7. the Levite, the husband of the woman that was slain, answered and said—The injured husband gave a brief and unvarnished recital of the tragic outrage, from which it appears that force was used, which he could not resist. His testimony was doubtless corroborated by those of his servant and the old Ephraimite. There was no need of strong or highly colored description to work upon the feelings of the audience. The facts spoke for themselves and produced one common sentiment of detestation and... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 20:8

8-13. all the people arose as one man—The extraordinary unanimity that prevailed shows, that notwithstanding great disorders had broken out in many parts, the people were sound at the core; and remembering their national covenant with God, they now felt the necessity of wiping out so foul a stain on their character as a people. It was resolved that the inhabitants of Gibeah should be subjected to condign punishment. But the resolutions were conditional. For as the common law of nature and... read more

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 20:12

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 20:15

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Judges 20:17

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 20:1

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 20:9

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Judges 20:15

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 20:1

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 20:3

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 20:4

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Judges 20:8

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